Modals - 'can' and 'can't'

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Modals - 'can' and 'can't'

Do you want to practise using the modals 'can' and 'can't' in English? Play our grammar games and have fun while you learn.

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Grammar Rule

Examples

I can swim.
They can speak English.
Shecan ride a bike.

Remember!

You need to add the infinitive after 'can'.I can swim.
You can run fast.
She can ride a bike.
We can speak English.
They can play the guitar.

Be careful!

For negatives you can add ‘n't’ or 'not'.I can’t drive a car.I cannot drive.Can they speak French? No, they can’t.
Can they speak French? No, they cannot.

We say... We don’t say...

Can you swim? Yes I can. (NOT You can swim? Yes, I swim.)
Can she ride a bike? Yes she can. (NOT She can ride a bike? Yes, she ride.)
(You use 'can' at the beginning of a normal question so you say:Can + pronoun + infinitive? If you want to show surprise you can say Pronoun + can + infinitive?)